Rolls-Royce Application Process and Interview Questions

Rolls-Royce is a prestigious company that specialises in the design, development, manufacture and provision of services relating to integrated power systems for use in the air, land or sea.

The company’s pride in its achievements to date, along with its commitment to customer excellence and future vision, are fundamental to its continued growth and success.

The firm provides a wealth of opportunities for graduates and experienced business professionals alike. Rolls-Royce is committed to attracting high-calibre individuals and encourages skill development through world-class training and by encouraging interest in both science and engineering.

Rolls-Royce: Application Form

If you find a vacancy on the Rolls-Royce website that you would like to apply for, or you'd like to enrol for one of its graduate programmes, the first step in the process is to complete the application form.

The online application will ask you to progress through a number of stages collecting specific information about you, your experience to date and education. The main sections of the form include:

• Personal details. For example, name, address, country of residence, nationality, phone and email address. There will also be a section to ask how you heard about the vacancy and whether you have previously been employed by Rolls-Royce.
• An ‘About You’ section, which will vary depending on the role or programme you have applied for but will typically ask you a number of competency-based questions. The questions will also depend on the programme or role you have applied for and will require you to demonstrate your interests, activities and skills relevant to the post, explaining your motivations for joining the company.
• A declaration stating that you have or will acquire a 2:1 classification in your degree and this is the only application you have made in the current recruitment period.
• Questions relating to diversity including gender, ethnicity, disability and age.

There is a section to upload a copy of your CV. If you choose this, the online system will automatically populate the relevant parts of the form with the information you have included in your CV, which can save time. If you would rather enter the information in manually, that is fine.

Before you attempt the application form, always try to research the company, understand the area you are applying to in detail and demonstrate the key values Rolls-Royce looks for in employees including innovation, integrity and reliability.

If you are successful in the application process, you will be invited to participate in a series of online tests, as detailed below.

Rolls-Royce: much more than just classic cars.

Rolls-Royce: Online Assessments

Once you receive the link to the online psychometric tests, you are given a period of ten days in which to complete all of the Rolls-Royce assessments. It is up to you in which order you complete them, and you do not need to complete them at the same time.

Rolls-Royce has recently started using of cut-e tests, although some candidates are required to complete CEB SHL tests.

The cut-e tests are assessed through the assignment of negative marks, so for every wrong answer that you provide a point will be deducted from your score. In addition, there are five psychometric tests that all candidates are expected to sit when applying to work with Rolls-Royce. These are:

• Situational Judgement. Assesses your ability to make decisions. You are presented with a scenario typically encountered in the role you are applying for, and then asked to select the correct response from a list of several possible options. Although there are no right or wrong answers for this assessment, the employer will be reviewing the way in which you would react to a given situation in the workplace.
• Measurement of Competencies. A test to determine the way in which you work. Often known as a personality test, it will ask you to select the statement that most fits with your values and opinions.
• Verbal Reasoning. Assesses your ability to understand complex written information. You will have 12 minutes to answer a set of 49 questions, which are based on short paragraphs of information. You will need to determine whether the statement is true, false or you are unable to say. This will test your ability to work quickly and accurately.
• Numerical Reasoning. In a number of roles you will be asked to synthesise complex numerical information. This test will present you with 37 questions and 12 minutes to complete the test.
• Rules and Interrelations. A non-verbal reasoning assessment that asks you to look at a series of shapes and determine connections or identify the odd one out.

If you are successful with the psychometric tests, you will be invited to the Rolls-Royce interview and assessment centre.

Interviews at Rolls-Royce

The interview is the final stage of the recruitment process and the type of role or programme you have applied to will determine the way in which the interview and assessments are conducted. The process at the assessment day usually follows a set procedure progressing from an interview, presentation, case study and written test and group activity through to aptitude tests.

You may be asked to participate in three different interviews at the assessment centre, each of which will be approximately an hour in duration.

Stage One: Competency Interviews

The first interviews are competency and motivational interviews. The competency interview will ask you to discuss occasions when you have demonstrated the values and competencies Rolls-Royce believes are important in an employee. These typically include developing personal relationships, management and team working.

The motivational interview will be your opportunity to discuss your achievements and will ask you about occasions when you have been required to plan, design or develop something. The technical interview will relate specifically to the role you have applied for, so make sure that you read up on the role carefully, research the company thoroughly and ensure that you can relate your skills to each competency on the job description and person specification.

Stage Two: Presentation

The second stage of the Rolls-Royce interview is the delivery of a ten-minute presentation. The subject is usually sent out to you prior to the event so that you can adequately prepare. A sample presentation topic could be something like ‘Describe your reasons for wanting to work with Rolls-Royce’.

Following on from this, you will be asked to complete a case study and written exercise. You will be presented with a briefing document relating to the business area you have applied to, usually containing a scenario and then a number of solutions. It is your task to review each of the solutions, choose one and provide the reasoning for why you have done so.

Stage Three: Group Activity

The group activity is your opportunity to demonstrate your ability to work in a team. Candidates are placed into groups and provided with a problem that has been encountered by the business. Working collaboratively as a group, you will have one hour to read the scenario, review the options and present an outline of the best course of action. The assessors will be monitoring each candidate to ensure that they participate fully and apply the values of the company to find the best outcome.

The selection process will then conclude with a final set of aptitude tests, usually very similar in nature to those that you have already completed as part of the previous recruitment process. These tests will be used to verify that the results you obtained in the first set of tests are correct.

The recruitment process for Rolls-Royce is certainly thorough and if you successfully pass all of the stages you are well on your way to securing employment with the company.